Mary's Baby II: Riders on the Storm
by JKRichards
Summary: Dean and Sam deal with the aftermath of their battle with Lilith and Cain Dean's fate may depend upon Sam's ability to control his inherited skills.
1. Chapter 1

Mary's Baby Part II – Riders on the Storm

_This is a sequel to my first story, Mary's Baby, which I began writing before the episode "Hunted" in which Dean tells Sam his father's final message. I wrote Mary's Baby as my take on what might happen in season 2 and what I thought John had whispered to Dean in the hospital. So this will be AU, as well, but still in keeping with the characters. This begins where Mary's Baby ended. I suggest reading that story first, because it takes the series in a different direction than Kripke has._

**Chapter 1**

Sam and Dean stood on either side of the Impala in the dusty parking lot outside of Harvelle's Roadhouse. They both stood facing the old weathered building, neither brother moving, neither ready to go inside. The midday sun glared off the black car's chrome as small funnels of dust and debris circled around them, prompting Dean to reach inside the car for his sunglasses perched on the dashboard. As he did, Sam looked over at his older brother and saw pain reflected in his bright hazel-green eyes. He swallowed hard, wishing they didn't have to deliver this news. It tore at Sam's heart when he recalled the ordeal they had been through just days before, and the shock of finding a possessed Jo threatening his brother's life. The most eerie thing, though, had been Jo's complete embodiment of the succubus Lilith; the mother of the yellow-eyed demon, Cain. Lilith had proclaimed herself to be Sam's "grandmother." The thought sickened him. The knowledge now that he did indeed, have demon blood inside him clung to him like a poison, tainting everything. He couldn't even bring himself to be relieved that the demon was gone; because in its wake, Sam was left to deal with his own, literal demon inside. The power he had harnessed to save Dean had both shocked and terrified him. He had dispatched Lilith and Cain, sacrificing Jo's body in the process. At least, that was the conclusion he and Missouri had reached when Lilith and Cain both disappeared. Jo had been not only possessed, but bound to Lilith. And Sam had sent her back to Hell.

He blinked and shook his head slightly as Dean's voice broke through his reverie. "Sam. Sam? You okay?"

The younger Winchester nodded. "I, uh, yeah." He let out a breath and met his brother's eyes; eyes that mirrored his own pain.

"Sam, do you think it's such a good idea for you to go waltzing into the Roadhouse after what happened? I mean those hunters are still going to be wondering about you. I can go in and talk to Ellen myself."

"No, you can't, Dean. Hell, you were barely alive when I, when Jo . . ." Sam's voice trailed off at the thought. He had seen his brother _die_ by Lilith's hand. Sam had felt the fury within himself as he banished the demons. It had consumed him. He had briefly been inhuman. He knew how it felt. He hadn't been possessed. He had been one of _them_. He felt physically ill as he realized it could happen again.

Dean leaned his arms on the top of the Impala, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Sam, you had no choice." _Don't do this to yourself, Sammy._

"I know that, Dean. But it doesn't make it any easier, you know?"

The older sibling nodded in understanding and positioned his sunglasses on his face. _What are we going to tell Ellen? Where do we even start?_

--------

Ellen knew something was wrong the minute she saw the Winchester brothers walk through the door. She quickly finished placing the glasses under the bar and turned her attention to the pair, who looked positively grim. Neither of them looked physically hurt, for which she heaved a sigh of relief. But given what she had heard about them lately, she was confused, and more than a little concerned.

"Boys? You two look like you lost your best friend. Has something happened?"

"Hey Ellen," Dean forced a small smile. "Can we get a couple a beers?"

The woman frowned, but nodded and turned to retrieve two bottles of Budweiser from the cooler. She placed them on the bar, in front of Dean, who had perched on a stool; but Sam paced back and forth behind his brother like a caged animal.

"Sam, you're going to wear out what's left of that old wooden floor if you don't stop pacing. Sit down and tell me what's on your mind."

Ellen studied the boys, who exchanged glances. She looked at them, confused.

"Look you two, I heard about what happened in Oregon. Hunters have been through here almost daily; talking about how Sam had taken care of the demon; that Gordon had taken Dean as bait. My god, you're heroes. I don't understand why you aren't celebrating. Instead you look like hell," she paused, scrutinizing the two brothers. "Has something happened I don't know about?"

Sam look incredulous and Ellen thought, even a little frightened. "What? Ellen, you know what happened? I mean you heard about . . .?"

"Hold on." Dean held up his hand to stop his brother from saying anything else. "Ellen, what do you know about Oregon? What are the hunters saying about Sammy?"

"Just what I said. They're saying Sam's a hero, and, even more, they couldn't quite believe what they saw. And this is coming from hunters, who have pretty much seen it all," Ellen looked pointedly at Sam, admiration in her eyes. "I don't understand how you did it, but they say you sent the demons straight back to Hell, son."

Sam looked stricken and glanced at Dean for support. Dean took a long pull from his beer and cleared his throat. "Ellen, there's more to the story."

"Well, I'm all ears boys. I can't wait to hear exactly what happened. Hold on a sec." Ellen turned towards the back room. "Jo! Come in here. Sam and Dean are here!"

Both brothers looked at each other, eyes wide in shock as Ellen's daughter Jo, the one they thought Sam had sent to Hell, the one they thought was bound to Lilith, hurried into the room, a wide smile aimed at the boys.

"Sam! Dean!" Jo came bounding up to them looking positively giddy. "I can't believe that yellow-eyed bastard is finally gone. You did it!" She grabbed a stunned Dean and hugged him around his neck; then she turned to an equally stunned and speechless Sam and gave him a bear hug.

Ellen noticed the shell-shocked expressions and frowned. "Boys? What in the hell is the matter with you two? You _did_ kill the demon didn't you?"

Dean was the first to recover, although he stumbled nervously over his words as he attempted to hide his complete shock. "Uh, hey Jo. I – uh – I thought you were out on the road somewhere. I'm just a little surprised to see you here, that's all. And we, well Sammy here, he sent the demon on, we didn't shoot it with the Colt, so we can't be sure he's gone for good, but yeah - wow it's good to see you, Jo."

"All in one breath, Dean, that's pretty good. Take another drink. Then, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" Ellen pressed, suddenly serious.

Sammy stepped forward, frowning at Jo, trying to get some sense that a demon was present; wishing he had the EMF meter with him, instead of where it sat uselessly in the trunk of the Impala. _Where's all that psychic ability now?_ "Nothing's wrong, Ellen. We just aren't completely sure this whole thing with the demon is really over. Like Dean said, we didn't shoot it with the Colt." His eyes never left Jo as he spoke. Jo never looked away, keeping his gaze firmly in her own, smiling sweetly.

"Yeah and, uh, we wanted to be sure that the hunters were, you know, on our side," Dean added, still shaken by Jo's presence. "That they weren't going to come after Sam because he has ties to the demon. We were a little reluctant to come back here."

"No worries, boys. Not one hunter has indicated to me that Sam is anything but a hero. So you can feel safe here." Ellen touched him on the shoulder and smiled.

Dean looked at Jo, who was still smiling as she tilted her head sideways, her eyes locked to his. "Mom, don't you think this calls for some real drinks? I can go in the back room and get some private reserve whiskey."

"Yeah, Jo. That's a great idea. And I'll get the boys whatever they want off the menu, on the house, of course. And then I want to hear every detail."

Once Ellen and Jo had left, the brothers huddled at the bar, talking in whispers, staying out of the women's earshot. They were glad the Roadhouse was nearly empty, because they weren't sure of their next move, and things could go south quickly if they miscalculated.

"Dean, I saw Jo disappear right along with Cain! I'm not sensing anything odd about her, no chill, no weird energy, nothing. How can that be?"

"I don't know, Sam," Dean's voice held a rare edge of uncertainty and fear. "Maybe it wasn't really Jo with Gordon? Maybe she was a shape shifter of some sort, trying to get in good with Gordy and the other hunters so she and Cain could take them all down together."

"Yeah, I guess that could be the case. How will we know? I mean if she is Lilith, she's pretty much immune to the old "Christo" test."

"True. She's probably immune to the holy water test, too. Remember when Dad was possessed by the bastard? It didn't even faze him." Dean took another long swallow of beer, finishing the bottle. "Before we do anything, though, we have to be sure. Let's eat dinner and get the hell outta here so we can get over to Bobby's. He'll know what to do."

"Do you think it's safe to leave Ellen here with her? I mean, what if she _is_ Lilith, Dean?"

Before Dean could respond, Ellen returned through the kitchen doors, her arms laden with two plates of food. Jo followed with a bottle of whiskey, and produced two glasses from under the bar for Sam and Dean. The boys thanked Ellen and immediately dug into their meals.

"You two enjoy your dinner; I'm going to get a room ready for you, so you don't need to worry about driving anywhere tonight."

"Ellen that's not necessary. . ." Dean started to protest around a large mouthful of food he had just tucked into, but Ellen held up her hand.

"I'm not taking no for an answer. You two deserve a little rest after what you've been through. Besides, I have a feeling we'll be up half the night talking about what happened."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"So, Jo," Sam decided to broach the subject of Jo's presence before they got into any further details. "I thought you had left the Roadhouse to go off hunting. When did you get back?"

Ellen stepped beside her daughter and threw her arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. "She showed up a couple a days ago, surprised the hell outta me. Not that I wasn't glad and relieved to see her. I just hadn't been expecting her."

Dean looked at Sam and then back at the Harvelle women_. Shit! This is so not looking good._ Dean smiled weakly and lifted his chin at Ellen. He looked back at his brother, who was nervously chewing on his fingernails. It would have been funny, except that this was a decidedly unfunny situation. Jo still had that smarmy grin on her face, like she knew about some fucking inside joke or something. Maybe there was, and he and Sam were the targets. Again, so not funny.

"Yeah, I had heard a little bit about what had gone down in Oregon, so I headed home to get the real story," Jo explained. "I figured you two would be by soon, and here you are."

"Here we are." Dean smiled ruefully, echoing Jo's perky inflection.

Ellen leaned on the bar intently. "So let's hear the details direct from you two. I have a feeling there's been some embellishment by some of these yahoos who've come through here. Either that, or you had one very wild experience."

Dean laughed nervously. "Probably a little of both, I would guess. I'll let Sam here tell it, since I don't really remember too much of it."

Sam bit the inside of his cheek, trying hard not to show his irritation at Dean. He would just leave out the part about Lilith possessing Jo, until and unless they found evidence to confirm it. So he told them the story, carefully watching Jo's face for any clue when he talked about Lilith. If she was possessed, she hid it well. Maybe he and Dean were wrong about her. Maybe it _had been_ some kind of a shape shifter.

"Well, I tell you what, boys, that is amazing. What a relief to be rid of the demon."

"You've got quite a knack for understatement there, Ellen." Dean laughed, and the older woman smiled.

"Well, I'm kind speechless after that. I would have loved to have witnessed it."

Jo handed the boys another beer. "Yeah, Sam. You must be pretty stoked. I mean those demon powers of yours, they sound pretty intense. Can you control them?"

Sam stiffened at the question and Dean frowned. There was something oddly familiar in Jo's tone. Not in a good way, either. He cleared his throat. "I don't think Sam is interested in embracing anything that's connected to the demon, Jo." He looked at his brother. Sam was clearly pissed.

"That's a shame. There's still evil out there to be hunted. It could come in handy."

"I want no part of that bastard, or his family line!" Sam couldn't contain his growing anger. Dean placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

Ellen straightened, surprised by the outburst. "Whoa, Sam. No one's saying you do. I think Jo just meant that maybe, since you do have it, you could use it the right way, to hunt evil."

No one said anything for a moment, until Dean clapped Sam on the back. "Well, okay then, I think we're ready to turn in. It's been a long day. Thanks for dinner and drinks, Ellen, Jo." He nodded at the women and pointed Sam towards their room.

Once inside the small guest room, the brothers both let out a breath. Dean sat on the edge of one of the twin beds and pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to fend off a headache.

"Man, something is hinky about Jo, I can feel it."

Sam remained standing, still wound up from his burst of anger. "Yeah, I agree. And, if she makes another reference about my link to the demon, I may go dark side on her ass."

Dean allowed himself a small smile at that. It wasn't often that his brother allowed anger to get the better of him. That was more his gig. "So, we have a gut feeling. We're going to need more than that before we go popping a silver bullet into Jo's head."

"Well, I'm hoping that's where Bobby can help. He knows how to break a binding spell, remember?"

"Uh, how could I forget?" Dean said, remembering the painful time Sam had been possessed by Meg. "But this is Lilith we're talking about, not some demon offspring with second-rate powers."

A light knock on the door stopped further discussion. "Dean? Hey, are you two decent in there?" Sam and Dean exchanged surprised looks as they heard Jo's voice softly through the closed door. The older brother got up and opened the door, to reveal Jo standing there, looking hopeful.

"What is it Jo?"

"Uh, sorry I didn't ask you earlier, but I need to take care of some inventory in the back before we open tomorrow, and since Ash isn't here right now, I was hoping you could get a case of bourbon down from an upper shelf for me."

Sam visibly tensed as Dean nodded. "Sure, be happy to help." A memory from the warehouse hit Sam:

"_Oh, Sam. I told you not to dishonor this family. Now you have no family. No family left on Earth and none in our realm. You have been cast out, disowned." Lilith sneered at her grandson and looked at Cain, who nodded. The knife that had fallen to the floor now quickly flew up and slashed the rope holding Dean. Sam gasped as he saw his brother fall to the floor in a boneless heap. _

"_Dean!" He felt the rage returning, full force. Just as quickly, the strange prickly heat that he had sensed earlier engulfed the rage. The amulet in his hand, Dean's amulet, was pulsating._

"_I still have plans for your brother's body, Sam. He will serve me well." _

Sam moved forward to grab Dean's arm, giving him a look that said _dude, what the fuck do you think you're doing?, _and quickly tried to intervene. "Uh, no, wait Dean, I'm taller, I can take care of it."

"Nonsense, that's what ladders are for. I'll just be a minute." Dean shook his head almost imperceptively at his brother, signaling him not to push it, and shrugged his arm away from Sam. He locked eyes with him, attempting to communicate that he would be fine, knowing all too well what his younger brother was thinking.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dean followed Jo to the storage room, feeling somewhat apprehensive, and strangely anxious in her presence. He cleared his throat.

"So, Jo, you seem pretty happy to be home," he said to her back, attempting to gain some insight into the girl, hoping she really was just Jo, and not the psycho bitch from hell. He laughed to himself at that. _Hmm, I've met some women who would fit in that category, but I've actually met the original. _He inwardly cringed._ Of course I have, why does that surprise me?_

"Hunting not so glamorous as you thought it would be?" he continued.

Jo smiled and turned to look at him over her shoulder. "I'm just on a break. I have a big job I'm working on, though. I'll have to tell you about it later." _Yeah, you're going to find out soon enough, all about it. _She unlatched the storage room and opened the large door. She held it open and gestured for Dean to go inside.

"It's up there on the top shelf. I'm just not strong enough to go up the ladder and carry it back down."

"No problem, I got it." Dean climbed up the three rungs of the wooden ladder to reach the case of bourbon. He hoisted it onto his shoulder and started down.

Jo watched Dean climb up the ladder, admiring his firm ass beneath his jeans and his shoulder muscles flexing though his grey Henley as he lifted the case. She smiled knowingly as her eyes flashed yellow. She directed a strong, invisible blow to Dean's feet, knocking him from the ladder and sending him tumbling backwards to the ground. The case of bourbon crashed loudly as it hit the floor, shattering bottles and sending glass and booze flying. Dean was stunned as his head hit the floor. Jo quickly bent over him and, as she made a show of yelling for help, grabbed the amulet that lay on the cord around Dean's neck. With a quick jerk, she yanked it off of him and pocketed it. Then, with lightspeed, she lifted and then slammed Dean's head roughly into a large shard of broken glass. The older hunter lost consciousness as blood began to flow rapidly from the cut.

Jo stood over him, yelling loudly, and, she hoped, with convincing concern. "Help! Sam! Mom! Come quick!"

Already on edge, Sam jumped when he heard the crash and Jo's screams. With his heart in his throat, he bolted from the guestroom and into the storage room with Ellen quick on his heels. He saw his brother lying motionless at the foot of the ladder, with blood pooling around his head.

"Dean!" He dropped beside his brother and placed a hand on Dean's injured head, seeing the deep gash that was the source of all the blood. He turned angry eyes on Jo.

"What the hell happened? What did you do to him?" Sam snarled, barely containing his anger.

Ellen looked at him in shock and then anger. "Sam! This was an accident, it's not Jo's fault."

Jo looked tearfully at Sam. "He-he slipped when he was coming down the ladder. He hit his head, all that glass, it must have cut him."

Sam wasn't buying her act, but his biggest concern at the moment was his brother. He would deal with Jo, later. After checking Dean for broken bones or other injuries, he carefully lifted his brother in his arms and carried him back to the guestroom and placed him on one of the twin beds. Ellen was already following with a first aid kit and clean towels and bandages.

"This gash is bad, I think he's going to need stitches." Sam frowned, not looking away from Dean. "He's also got a large goose-egg back here." _Wake up big brother, you've got a concussion, I need you to wake up for me. Tell me what happened in there._

Ellen's voice cut though his concern. "I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry this happened here. You know Jo and I feel horrible about this." Sam looked up at Ellen blankly, attempting to control his emotions. If he let himself get too angry he wasn't sure what he might do. He remembered his reaction back in Oregon:

"_You get the fuck away from my brother!" Sammy's voice filled the room and echoed off the high walls. Everyone turned, weapons drawn, as they realized what was happening. One hunter raised his shotgun, only to have it yanked from his grasp and flung against the wall, embedding it into the old wood. Sammy walked purposely and unflinchingly towards Gordon, dispatching other weapons in similar fashion as they were aimed or fired at him. One aggressive hunter was flung against the wall along with his weapon, falling to a boneless heap._

Sam swallowed hard and nodded at Ellen, attempting to look apologetic. "I know, Ellen. It's just, after everything we've been through this last week, I'm a little spooked, you know? Seeing Dean hurt, it just brings it all back. _And I need you to get away from me before I can't control this anger._ "I think I can handle this. I'll stitch this cut and then stay up with him. I'll let you know if we need anything, okay?"

Ellen nodded sympathetically and quickly squeezed Sam's shoulder.

Jo/Lilith stood in the doorway, smirking, knowing she would soon have revenge on her outcast grandson; and a new, beautiful incubus by her side..


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Is he gonna be alright?" Jo asked in a small voice from her spot in the doorway; she placed her hand in the pocket of her apron, feeling great pleasure as she caressed the amulet. "He hit pretty hard when he fell." She could see Sam's shoulder muscles tense, but he didn't turn to look at her.

Sam let out a ragged breath. The last person he wanted to talk to, to be anywhere near, was Jo. "I don't know if he's okay yet, Jo. He's still unconscious. He really needs medical attention." _And we need to get the hell out of here. _

Jo smiled at Sam's back. "You'll have to wait until morning then. The nearest clinic is closed. You and mom stitched him up okay. That's all you can do. You should try to get some rest."

Sam turned his head and Jo saw his jaw muscles clench tightly. She smiled inwardly at the torment she could sense from her grandson. "I can stay up with him, if you'd like to get some sleep."

"Look, Jo I can take care of Dean." _I'm not leaving his side with you around here, you bitch._ "So go on back to the bar and we'll see you in the morning."

_You certainly will see me in the morning, Sam. You can count on it._ "Okay then, I hope Dean gets better. I'll be out here working on a couple of things if you need anything."

"Jo? Close the door behind you."

"Sure, Sam. Goodnight."

Once he heard the door close and Jo's retreating footsteps, Sam inhaled deeply and let out his breath. _God, I can feel that same evil from the warehouse. It has to be Lilith; which means she must have purposely hurt Dean._ He looked at his brother's pale face. _Come on Dean, you gotta wake up_. Fear suddenly sliced through Sam _What if Lilith did something to Dean in that room? Something other than cause his physical injuries?_

Sam quickly stood up and went over to his backpack on the other bed and rifled through it until he found his cell phone. He hit a speed dial number and waited for an answer.

"Hello?" a gruff and sleepy voice finally ended the ringing.

"Bobby! This is Sam. I need your help."

"Sam? The hell? What's wrong?" Bobby Singer suddenly sounded much more awake, and Sam could hear the man moving around as he spoke.

"Bobby, it's Dean. He's hurt and . . ." Sam didn't quite know how to continue. Bobby didn't know about what happened in Oregon.

"And what?"

"I'm not sure, but I think Jo's possessed. We're at the Roadhouse. Bobby, I think Jo's possessed by Lilith and I think she may have done something to Dean."

"Whoa, back up, Sam. Lilith? Is that who I think it is?"

"Yeah, the original succubus, mother of all demons," Sam paused briefly and spat the last of the sentence with contempt and anger. "You know, my fucking grandmother?"

There was silence on the other end of the line, and for a second Sam thought he had lost the connection.

"Bobby?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm here."

"I found out the Winchester family secret Bobby, Dean told me some of it, but Missouri delivered the punchline. I'm sure you knew all about it too, didn't you?"

"_Damn. _Yeah kid. I knew. I- I've known for some time. Dean didn't though, he just found out, right before John died."

"I know that, Bobby. Look, it's not important now, I just want to make sure you're on the same page here with me. What do you know about Lilith?"

"If you really are dealing with _the_ Lilith, there isn't a demon that can match her. She has powers that make Cain's look like a rank amateur. This is bad, kiddo."

Sam closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He looked over at Dean, still unmoving.

"Bobby?" His voice cracked with emotion and fatigue. "I thought I sent her back to Hell. She can't be back already, can she?"

"How exactly did you send her back?" Bobby's voice held some shock and uncertainty as he asked the question.

Sam recounted everything that had happened in the past week. When he was finished, he again waited for the older hunter to respond.

"Holy shit, kid. If you've pissed off Lilith and Cain, and it sounds like you did, then Heaven help us. Remember that storm I told you boys was comin'? We're heading right into the eye."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In the privacy of her room, Jo took the amulet out of her pocket and placed it reverently on her bed. She finally had the talisman that held ancient magic, white magic. It was not easy for her to be so near the source that nearly destroyed her family line. The fact that she was even near it, made her physically ill. She knew that within its power was the directive to destroy her kind. Her plan would have to be executed precisely if she was going to use it to her benefit.

-----

Sam checked the bandage on his brother's head again and was relieved to find that the stitches seemed to be fine, no bleeding was evident. As he adjusted the coverlet over his brother, Sam was encouraged as Dean's eyes fluttered open.

"Dean? Hey bro, wake up, man."

Dean attempted to focus on the form hovering above him, knowing it was Sam, but his vision refused to clear. He blinked hard several times, until he saw Sam's concerned, expectant expression come into focus.

"Sammy? What? What happened?" _Why do you look like you're about ready to pass out on me?_

"Dude, you fell off the ladder in the storage room. Do you remember?"

_Wow, Sam looks freaked. This can't be good_. "Give me a minute." Dean lifted his head slightly and attempted to look around the room, but the effort only served to make him dizzy and nauseated. He gingerly lowered his head back down. "Where the hell are we, anyway?"

Sam frowned. "We're at the Roadhouse, Dean. Don't you remember? Ellen insisted we stay in the guestroom since we drank quite a bit at dinner. Jo asked you to help her with some inventory, and you fell from the ladder. At least that's what Jo _told us _had happened."

Dean studied his brother for a moment. _Hmmm, that sounds oddly accusatory, what's up with that? And why is he still looking at me like that? _ "Honestly Sam, I can't remember even having dinner. But my head sure feels like someone's inside whacking away with a sledgehammer." He paused and frowned at Sam. "You know, I gotta tell ya, you are looking at me like I have a third eyeball or something. Care to share what's going on in that geeky head of yours?"

Sam let out a breath. "You don't remember why we came here, Dean?"

Dean started to roll his eyes, but immediately regretted it. The pain and nausea were beginning to make him cranky and his retort came out with a little more venom then he intended. "If I remembered, why would I be asking you to fill me in?"

Sam looked contrite and slightly hurt. "Sorry, I just, I'm worried that's all."

"So what else is new, Francis? If you weren't worried about _something_, then I'd be worried there was something wrong with you." Dean was trying to lighten the mood, and attempted to sit up again, but grimaced and lay back down. Sam shook his head as he placed a steadying hand on Dean's chest.

"You're a real laugh riot, you know that? This is serious, Dean. I think we're dealing with Lilith again. I was afraid she may have hurt you, and not just physically."

Dean looked bemused. "Well, I'm not possessed, if that's what you think."

"I _don't_ think that. But she's got powers that go way beyond what that yellow-eyed demon has. She could invoke black magic before we even knew what hit us."

"Well, chill Sam. I don't feel like I've been marked with any voodoo curse or anything like that. But I do think if I move at all, I could puke. Maybe I _am_ possessed, like that chick in the 'Exorcist', you know, she was hurling pea soup all over the place."

Sam quickly grabbed the wastebasket and placed it near Dean's bedside, in case his brother did get sick; and judging by his slightly green hue, Sam figured that was likely. "I called Bobby, he's on his way. I think Jo is bound to Lilith, and I'm hoping Bobby knows how to break the spell."

------

Jo/Lilith began to quietly chant an incantation as she held the amulet tightly in her hands. It wasn't pleasant. The talisman was fighting the spell and the pain that ripped through her body was surprisingly intense. She knew it wasn't going to be easy to convert the charm. But she also knew that if she couldn't do it, then it couldn't be done. She had turned white magic before; many times, in fact. But much more was at stake this time. She wanted Dean, and she wanted her grandson by her side. With every dark power she possessed, Lilith summoned the evil. The black entity enveloped her, along with the amulet, causing her to convulse wildly as the talisman was broken and reformed in her hands. She collapsed on the bed, breathing hard as the unworldly blackness dissipated, her yellow eyes smiling as she held the amulet up to study it. Her lips curved in a satisfied smile. _Soon, I'm going to have everything I want._


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the delay in posting, it's been a busy week! I really appreciate your reading and reviewing, it helps keep me focused and writing!_

Chapter 6

After spending the night waking Dean every few hours, just in case he had a concussion, Sam was exhausted. He knew Dean had to be feeling even worse, evidenced by his very slow, deliberate movements as he attempted to make it to the bathroom down the hall from their room. If he didn't know better, Sam would have suspected his brother was hung over. Unfortunately, the large bandage on the back of Dean's head and the dark bruising on his back were reminders that they were likely facing much bigger problems. They'd come to the Roadhouse thinking they were going to have to tell Ellen that Jo had been killed, sent to hell, actually. Then they find Jo alive and well; and Dean gets hurt when he's alone with her.

It was no coincidence, of that Sam was certain. Sure, his brother could be a trouble magnet, and he could have simply slipped on the ladder, but given the circumstances, and Sam's intuition, he wasn't about to let his guard down. He didn't even want to let Dean go down the hall alone, but when his big brother glared at him and explained in no uncertain terms that he could "go to the fucking bathroom" by himself, Sam reluctantly backed off. He did, however, stand in the hallway while he waited for Dean to return. Neither of the brothers had bothered to get dressed yet, both wore only sweatpants and Sam shivered in the cold hallway, partly from the draft and partly from a sense of dread. _There's definitely something wrong here, I can feel it._

As he waited, Jo came out of her room across from the bathroom, smiling, tying her apron around her waist. She looked at him admiringly, almost lecherously, and Sam fought the urge to go back inside the room and grab a shirt. He reflexively crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hey, Sam, what are you doing standing out here? Mom's making breakfast, should be ready soon. How's Dean?"

"Oh, hey, Jo. Uh, I'm just waiting for the bathroom," Sam lied. "Dean's okay, just sore from that fall. I think we can hit the road after breakfast." Sam attempted to keep the emotion out of his voice. But he was angry, and frankly terrified at the thought that it could be Lilith standing right in front of him. He didn't think Dean was up to a road trip yet, either. His brother was unsteady on his feet, but Sam was determined that they were getting out of there to regroup. He had to protect Dean from Lilith, because he knew what she wanted, and it sickened him.

Dean stepped out of the bathroom to find Jo and Sam both looking his direction. Jo smiled and Sam looked uncomfortable.

"You guys having a convention out here?" Dean asked as he leaned one hand against the wall to steady himself and appeared to be concentrating on simply putting one foot in front of the other. Sam resisted the urge to help him, he didn't want to reveal any further weakness to Jo.

"How you feeling, Dean?" Jo asked. Sam could have sworn she sounded almost smug, her concern phony. _This isn't Jo. I'm sure of it. There's something – a presence that I'm starting to feel. It's getting stronger._

"I'm okay, Jo, just a little sore, that's all. I'm sure some aspirin and your mom's home-cooked breakfast will have me feeling like a new man, and then Sammy and I can hit the road."

Jo smiled crookedly and fished her hand into the pocket of her apron. "Hey, I found this on the floor in the storage room. It must have broken when you fell. I fixed the cord." Jo dangled Dean's amulet in her hand.

"Oh man, I didn't even notice it was missing. Thanks, Jo."

Sam frowned as Jo walked right up to Dean and placed the amulet around his neck_. Get the hell away from my brother, you bitch_. It was all he could do to stop himself from pushing her away. Dean looked a bit surprised and ducked his head slightly to allow her to place it over his head.

"There you go. I would hate for you to lose that. I know it has a lot of sentimental value for you, seeing as how your dad gave it to you."

Dean still wore a slightly surprised look and exchanged a questioning glance with Sam. "Yeah, Jo, it does. I just, uh, I didn't know I had told you that before."

"Well you must have, either that or my mom told me. So, why don't you two get dressed and get some breakfast."

She turned abruptly and headed towards the bar, leaving the brothers alone.

Dean looked at his taller sibling, who was obviously bothered about something. Sam's eyes followed Jo down the hall, his jaw muscle twitching. Dean knew his brother well enough to know that something major was going on inside that head.

"Sam? Spill. What are you thinking?"

Sam shook his head, attempting to shake away the bad feeling as well. "I don't know Dean, something is, something's weird. I can't put my finger on it."

"Spidey senses tingling?"

"You could say that. Ever since," Sam paused, not wanting to acknowledge his newly sprung abilities. "Ever since I felt the full power within me, I think I'm more in tuned to different energy."

"Okay, Yanni. What does that mean, exactly?"

"I can feel dark energy, and Jo is surrounded with it."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Once they packed up the few items they had brought in with them, Sam and Dean joined Ellen at the bar for a breakfast of sausages, eggs and pancakes. Jo poured them large glasses of orange juice and left the pitcher for refills and headed back to the kitchen. Neither of the brothers realized how hungry they were until the aroma beckoned them and the large plates were placed in front of them. Then they gratefully tucked into the food.

"So, where are you boys off to next?" Ellen inquired as she wiped the counter around them.

"Probably head over to see Bobby, tell him all about 'Sam and Dean's Big Adventure' in Oregon," Dean replied, talking around a large mouthful of food. Truth be told, the brothers had a lot to tell Bobby, and they hoped he had some answers for them.

Ellen smiled at him. "You seem to be feeling better, Dean. You really okay?"

"Yeah, Ellen, just sore from the fall; nothing to worry about." _We just need to get the hell away from Jo right now until we can figure this all out. _Dean felt a little guilty and not a little concerned that Ellen may not be safe in their absence, but he couldn't tell Ellen until they were sure about their theory. _Oh, by the way, your daughter is really the mother of all demons and I don't think we can get rid of her unless we kill Jo in the process. Nice._

Sam winced slightly and set his fork down abruptly, the metal clanking loudly against his nearly empty plate. Dean and Ellen both looked at him expectantly.

"Sammy? You okay there?" _The hell?_ Dean frowned as he noticed the tremor in Sam's right hand. His brother's face twisted in pain, his left palm now pressed firmly into the center of his forehead, his eyes shut tightly.

"Is it another vision?" Dean hovered close to Sam, anticipating a full blown shining about to happen.

"Gaah! I'm  fuck! I don't know. My head hurts!" Dean reached out to steady his brother. As he gripped Sam's bicep, Dean was overcome by vertigo. The room was virtually spinning; the objects and people blurring into lines of whirling colors. He couldn't see straight. He shut his eyes tightly, but his head still swam. He stepped back clumsily and nearly fell over the bar stool. He released Sam's arm and caught himself by grasping the edge of the bar tightly, swaying all the while.

Ellen was around the bar immediately. "Sam! Dean! What's wrong?"

"Dean?" Sam's eyes shot open at Ellen's worried and urgent tone. His head was still

pounding and the morning sunlight assaulted his eyes even further. Through half-mast lids he saw his brother sway beside him. Sam forced his own, substantial pain down and moved to wrap an arm around his brother's shoulders to steady him. Dean was pale; a sheen of sweat covered his face, his eyes unfocused.

"Dean! Talk to me, man. What's wrong?"

As soon as Sam touched him, Dean's vertigo kicked into overdrive, and he could feel himself falling into a vortex, his vision graying out into a narrowing shutter of darkness.

Sam clung to Dean as his brother lost consciousness and sagged limply against him. He lowered Dean gently to the floor. As he did, the pain in his own head exploded and he heard himself scream in agony before he fell beside Dean's unmoving form.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: I want you all to know that I am still going to write this story. I'm sorry it's been so long since an update, but I've had a lot of real life stuff happening between college, work and social life. So, stick with me. I plan on starting back up in a few weeks, when this quarter ends. I may even get to it sooner if things settle down a bit. Thanks for reading so far!

Janice


	9. Chapter 8 really

_Well, I'm baaack! I apologize for the VERY long delay in writing this story. But now that I've finished grad school, I have time to devote to writing fiction again. I am really enjoying this season of Supernatural and I find that my storyline in this "Mary's Baby" series can dovetail into the current season pretty easily. I'm glad that Lilith is the baddy in both worlds. :-)_

"Dean?" Sam's eyes shot open at Ellen's worried and urgent tone. His head was still

pounding, and the morning sunlight assaulted his eyes even further. Through half-mast lids he saw his brother sway beside him. Sam forced his own, substantial pain down and moved to wrap an arm around his brother's shoulders to steady him. Dean was pale; a sheen of sweat covered his face, his eyes unfocused.

"Dean! Talk to me, man. What's wrong?"

As soon as Sam touched him, Dean's vertigo kicked into overdrive, and he could feel himself falling into a vortex, his vision graying out into a narrowing shutter of darkness.

Sam clung to Dean as his brother lost consciousness and sagged limply against him. He lowered Dean gently to the floor. As he did, the pain in his own head exploded and he heard himself scream in agony before he fell beside Dean's unmoving form.

Ellen gaped in horror as she watched both Winchester boys go down – and stay down –sprawled motionless at her feet. Jo stood nearby, an almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Ellen looked at her daughter with panicked eyes and then back down to the boys, fear momentarily paralyzing her.

"My god Jo, what's happening to them?" When she didn't receive a reply she looked at her daughter again. Jo was smiling broadly. Ellen frowned at the girl's inappropriate reaction. "Jo? What the hell . . . ?" The older woman gasped and her heart jumped in her chest as she saw her daughter's eyes turn a vibrant yellow. Before she could react, the demon grabbed Ellen's head and held it in her hands in a vise-like grip.

"Hell is right, bitch. See you there." The girl's eyes transformed again, turning an opaque silver as she effortlessly snapped the older woman's neck. Lilith released Ellen with a shove that sent her body into a lifeless heap beside the brothers. With a satisfied sigh, the demon casually sat on a bar stool and looked down admiringly at the brothers. "Alone at last," she purred contentedly. She nudged Sam with her foot.

"Wakey, wakey grandson. You need to get up now. Your half-brother and I have some unfinished business and I can no longer wait to unite with him. _To turn him_."

Lilith turned her attention to Dean. She moved to kneel by his side and began to caress his face, admiring the angles of his face, the smooth skin. "My desire for him is unlike any other. _He has such beauty._ Perhaps because making him mine will be such sweet victory. It will indeed be a pleasure to know you are watching as I take him."

Lilith fell quiet for a second and she grimaced and stood up, her tone turning from wistful to angry. "He must be punished for killing my grandchildren, your half brother and sister. And you have to be punished for your insolence, Sam. You should consider yourself very fortunate that I am willing to give you another chance."

The demon was silent again and tilted her head, her vacant silver eyes scrutinizing Sam. When she spoke, her voice was gentle. "You have your grandfather's intensity; so much of my Samael in you. What a waste if you will not follow him – follow me." Lilith frowned at her grandson's supine form. Her patience depleted, she reached out her open hand and hefted a small charge of energy into Sam's torso.

Sam stirred, pain slamming into him as his awareness returned. He groaned, slowly opening his eyes.

"There you are. It's about time, grandson." Lilith stood up and moved directly into Sam's line of vision. She smiled as she saw the recognition and fear in his eyes. "It is finally time for you to realize your true calling."

Adrenaline flooding his bloodstream at the sight of Lilith, Sam's pain dissipated and he sat bolt upright, remembering everything that had happened earlier. _Dean!_ Fear pierced his heart when he saw his brother's still form, and he quickly reached out to touch him. He was stopped by a force that pushed him back several feet.

"I wouldn't do that if I where you, Sam. It wouldn't be good for either one of you."

"You bitch! What have you done to him?" Sam could feel the familiar rage building inside of him, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to let Lilith hurt his brother, even if it meant losing himself to his dark powers. But Dean wore the amulet. They now knew it held white magic. _She couldn't hurt us now, could she? _

He looked at Dean. His brother wasn't moving, and Lilith was kneeling beside him. She picked up the amulet from where it lay on Dean's chest and grasped it in her hand. She closed her eyes and arched her back, laughing and making sounds that Sam could only describe as moans of pleasure. She appeared to be in ecstasy as she held it. She looked at Sam with her clouded eyes.

"I wouldn't worry about that right now, I'd be more concerned by what I'm _about_ to do to him," Lilith cooed, a smarmy smile forming as she anticipated all the methods she would use to turn Dean Winchester into her prized incubus.


	10. Chapter 10

"Get away from him," Sam growled at Lilith. He could feel his rage taking control now and he stood up, his full 6'4" frame towering over his grandmother and brother. Lilith, distracted by her desire for Dean, looked up at Sam, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. She was literally drunk from desire, still clutching the amulet in her hand. It provided enough time for Sam to regain control, to establish his power over Lilith. Whatever restraints she had forced upon him were now broken.

"I said get away from him, now!" Sam brought his hand up and felt the energy pulsate and release, pushing Lilith back until she was forced to let go of the amulet and Dean was out of her reach. The demon stood wide-eyed as her grandson stepped towards her, his hand still up and ready to attack again.

"Your power has grown, grandson. I am impressed." Lilith spoke slowly, steeling herself as she calculated her next move. She had underestimated Sam. She had thought the power he had demonstrated back in Salem had been generated by the amulet. Now, she realized that he clearly possessed his grandfather's formidable abilities. _He just can't quite control them yet, though. That will be his undoing._

Sam let out a mirthless laugh, his eyes growing darker, almost black. "That's right, bitch. I'm just like him. Every day I get stronger. I'll be stronger than you very soon. But I won't be joining your league of demon freaks; sorry, granny." Sam tilted his head and smiled, his eyes no longer held any white and his voice had subtly deepened.

Lilith felt her anger grow. No one had ever challenged her, especially not her own blood. "If you think for one moment your fledgling powers can even begin to stop me, you are too stupid to be claimed by this family. If you attack me, you will pay a very high price."

Sam pressed on, determined to banish Lilith, even if only temporarily. "Are you forgetting that only a few days ago I sent you and your son to Hell? I can do it again."

Lilith laughed loudly. "Oh, Sam, sending us to Hell is not a punishment! It's simply a minor inconvenience, or have you forgotten? We live there. Hello? Give it up. I _will_ have your brother; in fact, that yummy process has already begun. You _will_ follow me, or he will die. So by all means, practice those inherited skills. You will need them for all the jobs you will be doing for the family business."

Sam stared at Lilith defiantly, his inhuman rage spurring him to attack. But the unexpected arrival by a group of three hunters into the Roadhouse caught him off guard. The hunters quickly took in the scene, seeing Ellen and Dean down, they instantly recognized Lilith and brandished their weapons. But as quick as they were, as skilled as they were, their effort was futile. Sam could only watch in horror as, with one simple pulse from her hand, Lilith vaporized the hunters where they stood. She then casually turned her attention back to her grandson.

"Now, Sam, until your abilities are that advanced, I'd suggest you do as you're told. I have big plans for your brother, and I will be extremely pissed if he suffers the same fate by my hand because you are not cooperating. Do I make myself clear?"

Sam looked down at his brother, who was beginning to stir. He felt himself weaken and his eyes returned to their normal hazel hue as he wondered just how much Lilith had done to Dean already. He had to stay in control if he was going to get the two of them out of this. He nodded quickly and shut his eyes against the headache that had returned. _I'm so sorry, Dean._


	11. Chapter 11

"Now, just so we don't have any more interruptions . . ." Lilith began, turning towards the Roadhouse front door. With little more than a flick of her wrist, Sam heard what sounded like heavy bolts latching around the entire building. The old neon "open" sign flickered out, window openings sealed and the natural morning light was replaced by only a dim glow, casting a red film over everything, allowing only enough light to see a few feet in any direction. A strong odor of sulphur began to permeate the room.

Lilith smiled. "Ahhh, now this is more like it. More like home."

She looked down at Dean, watching contentedly as he attempted to wake. She couldn't help but smile from her earlier encounter with him. Soon she would not need the amulet to simulate their union. Soon, Dean will seek her out – wantonly beg to press his flesh against her, release his precious seed inside her. Then, when she has turned him completely, she will take him to Hell to stay with her for eternity. _I don't know if I can bear to send him off as an incubus when his training is complete_. An unusual pang of emotion hit Lilith. It was stronger than lust. She hadn't planned on being so smitten. Realizing she was fantasizing, still basking in her virtual afterglow, she shook herself from her reverie, shaking the remnants of her desire away. _I could lose myself in this one. I must be careful. I must focus on my grandson's future as well_.

Sam seethed as he watched her and moved protectively towards his brother. Dean was moaning softly, awareness beginning to filter through his fuzzy mind. He felt weird – out-of-body kind of weird. Yet, he could also feel his corporeal body. It felt heavy and, something else – he was aware that someone had been with him – in a very intimate way. He couldn't remember any details, just feelings, _intense_ physical feelings. He shuddered, partly out of fear and partly as a response to the intensity he'd just experienced. His eyes opened slightly, but he could only make out odd dark shapes moving through a red veil of light.

"Dean?"

"Sammy?" he cleared his throat, his voice weak as he tried to speak. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm right here, bro'." Sam kneeled beside his brother and was about to help him sit up when Lilith intervened.

"Oh Sam, I don't recommend that you do that."

"Get away from us, bitch!" Sam couldn't help the rage that was returning. It was beginning to overpower him and it took all of his strength to stay in control.

"Sam – the hell?" Dean was confused and turned to see Lilith standing over them, smiling. At the sight of her, Dean's heart raced and his mind clouded, making it impossible to track a coherent thought; to make sense of anything around him.

"I'm just warning you, grandson," her opaque eyes held Sam. "But, then again, perhaps this is the best way for you to learn. Realize that everything you do here is of your own free will." Her gaze fell upon Dean again. "Both of you – you must learn how things work here."

Sam curled his lip in defiance and turned his attention back to Dean, who was now attempting to sit up, but had only made it as far as leaning back on his elbows. Sam kneeled beside his brother and placed a supportive hand gently on Dean's back. As he made contact, Sam was blasted with intense pain. He brought his hands up to the sides of his head and held tightly, crying out from the attack.

Dean could hear his brother yell out in pain, but the room was suddenly spinning wildly, his vision just a blur of red and black. He reached out blindly to find connection with his brother again.

"Sam!"

"Dean, I can't get to you!" The younger man could only grind out the words through clenched teeth as the pain intensified.

Lilith walked in a circle around the two young men at her feet. After a few minutes of amusing herself with their distress, she reached down and touched Dean's amulet briefly. As she did, Sam's pain subsided and Dean's vertigo stopped. The two boys sat still, trying to catch their breath, each looking at the other, checking each other for injuries with their own silent communication. They had a connection born of a brotherly bond, heightened by years of facing mortality together. Sam could see the fear and confusion in Dean's green eyes. It was rare, and it tore at Sam's heart. It also frightened and angered him that his brother could be broken and taken from him in this way.

Dean watched Sam as the emotions played across the younger man's face. Dean could see a war was clearly waging inside his little brother. He wanted to tell him not to be afraid and to do whatever it took to bring Lilith down. But something stopped his voice, uncertainty overwhelmed him. Uncertainty and vulnerability were foreign concepts for Dean Winchester. But here they were, in spades. He wondered if he was losing himself. _No! I have to keep Sam safe. Have to stay in the game. _His thoughts were jumbling quickly, replaced with thoughts of Lilith, of lust. His stomach turned and his body betrayed him. Dean vomited violently at the demon's feet. He could hear Sam calling his name and Lilith laughing as Sam moved toward his sick brother.

"Sam. I thought you were a bright boy. Think hard now. It should be an obvious Pavlovian moment. Go ahead, touch Dean again. I had no idea you were so into pain. That's pretty kinky for a straight-laced boy like you."

Sam's head snapped up in horror as he understood the meaning of Lilith's comment. _No!_ Tears sprung to his eyes and he looked at Dean. Sam realized that every time he touched his brother, they would both experience these horrific reactions. Lilith had placed a spell that would keep him from Dean – perhaps take him from him forever unless he found a way to break it. _That's not going to happen. I know I'm stronger than her, I proved that back in Salem. I just have to find a way to get control again._

Dean managed to find his way out of the fog when he sensed his brother's turmoil."Sam? What's she saying?" _You're freaking me out here bro'._

Lilith placed a hand on Dean's head and ran her fingers slowly through his short blond spikes. It didn't feel right, but he didn't recoil. In fact, he leaned into her touch, his green eyes fluttering from the sensation. He suddenly felt warm, sated and relaxed. Sam looked on with his fists clenched in rage. Lilith held out her other hand towards Sam, effectively stopping her grandson from moving. Sam watched helplessly as his brother was controlled by the demon. _I will get us out of here Dean, and Lilith will be destroyed by my hands. I promise you._

"What I'm saying, Dean is that you two must learn to go your own ways, be your own men. You are safe with me now and it is time for your brother to fulfill his destiny and take his rightful place as the ruler of the underworld."


End file.
